Forgiven
by Kraven Ergeist
Summary: OneShot:: A continuation of the exchange of Zuko and Mai during The Boiling Rock Part 2. Obviously spoilers. Zuko x Mai.


**Avatar Fan Fiction**

**Forgiven**

By Kraven Ergeist

Zuko was growing tired of his past mistakes coming back to bite him in the ass. He'd done his share of wrongs - he'd admitted it. Several times. He was trying to redeem himself somehow. But not every wrong could be undone by the same action. And as he was learning very clearly, sometimes to redeem on wrong, you have to commit another.

And that was a decision he was soon learning to regret.

"How did you find me?"

He wasn't looking at her face. He couldn't. Because he knew exactly what expression she was giving him.

"Because I know you so well."

Zuko wondered if Mai had been getting lessons in sarcasm from his sister. For a moment, he totally forgot he was a prisoner to the Fire Nation and was confronting his girlfriend about why he was a traitor, and puzzled at the logistics as to how Mai could have actually made it here.

"But…how…?"

"The warden's my uncle, you idiot," Mia cut him off.

Zuko suddenly _felt_ like an idiot. He had expected the warden to harass and even torture him when he had found out about him. But to actually tell Mai that he'd found the traitorous prince, and make him answer to _her_…

Zuko hung his head in shame, groaning in frustration as he buried his face in his hand.

"The truth is…" Mai said, revealing a familiar looking note. "I guess I don't know you…"

Zuko looked up at Mai to see a look of anger and hurt on her face.

"All I get is a letter?" Mai held her arms out, voice dripping with spleen. "You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart."

She wasn't yelling. The only time he'd heard Mai yell was that time at the beach, and that was to make a point to his sister. But her words hurt. They hurt so much, because they were accusing him of leaving her specifically so he could be away from her, and not for any of the right reasons.

"I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't mean to?" She didn't let him finish. She unrolled the letter and read it out loud. "'Dear Mai, I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving.'"

"Stop," Zuko growled in frustration. "This isn't about you. This is about the Fire Nation."

"Thanks, Zuko…" Mai pursed her lip, crinkling the note in her hands, throwing it at his head. "That makes me feel all better."

Zuko touched his head where the note had hit him. It hadn't hurt, but the intentions behind the volley stung more than any blade or fire bolt he'd ever been hit with.

"Mai…" he got to his feet and turned to face her. "I never wanted to hurt you. But I have to do this to save my country."

"Save it?" Mai's frown deepened. "You're betraying your country."

Zuko tried to let his sense of justice and determination strengthen his words.

"That's not how I see it."

Mai took a moment to absorb his words, then crossed her arms. Whether she believed him or not, she seemed to understand that to him, duty came before personal life.

"Look around you, Mai," Zuko's voice softened. "Is this the world you want to live in? Do you have any idea what the Fire Nation has done to this world?"

Mai pursed her lip. "The world looked pretty nice a few weeks ago."

Zuko shook his head. "Remember when you asked me why I was so angry all the time? Who I was angry at?"

Mai's expression was neutral. "You said you were angry at yourself."

Zuko nodded. "I've made some horrible mistakes in my life, Mai. The one that I regret the most was hurting you. But I can't overlook the other mistakes I've made. I can't live this perfect life with you in the Fire Nation while my conscience is constantly plaguing me."

Mai crossed her arms. "Why are you telling me this now, instead of beforehand when it would have made a difference?"

Zuko shook his head. "I was about to dessert my country. You would have been implicated. I was trying to protect you, Mai."

Mai looked away, visibly shaken by his words. "You still should have said goodbye…"

Zuko nodded. "You're right. I should have. We were in the middle of being invaded, and I thought there wouldn't be time. But I still should have tried."

Mai said nothing. He could tell she was crying. She hid it well.

"For what it's worth…" Zuko said, wanting to touch her shoulder, but not daring to. "My feelings for you haven't changed. I had hoped that…when this was over, things might work out…"

Mai turned on him, visibly outraged. "The world doesn't work like that, Zuko!"

Zuko went on, unperturbed. "But until that day comes, it'll be better for you if you stay in the Fire Nation and forget about me. You'll be safer that way."

Mai was tensed to the point where Zuko was sure she would attack him, when suddenly a guard appeared at the door.

"Ma'am! There's a riot going on! I'm here to protect you!"

Mai dropped into her usual expressionless face (Zuko marveled at her ability and shuddered at the lifestyle she must have gone through to master it).

"I don't need any protection."

Zuko found himself laughing. The idea was honestly amusing.

"Believe me, she doesn't."

The guard stepped into the prison cell, undeterred. "I'm sorry, but I'm under direct orders from your uncle to make sure nothing happens."

Zuko saw his chance. He launched a fire bolt at the guard's feet. The guard recoiled out of instinct, before training took over and he moved to protect Mai.

Little did he know he was only preventing her from catching Zuko while he dashed out the door.

"Get off of me!" she cried, throwing him easily to the floor. The move cost her the few precious seconds she needed to beat Zuko to the door, however, and she saw him slam it shut before her.

The lock slid shut, and then their eyes met for a moment, and Zuko wanted to say something to amend the situation, if only slightly. But the look in her eyes spoke only of betrayal, and nothing he could say would change the fact that by shutting that door, he was shutting her out of his life.

He closed his eyes.

And ran.

xxxxx

The escape attempt had been going fine…until his sister entered the equation. Once again, Zuko felt like an idiot for not having thought ahead. If Mai was here, then of course Azula would be with her!

The fight was cut abruptly short when the gondola they had been riding suddenly shook to a halt, as Ty Lee's voice cried out that they were about to cut the line.

Azula and Ty Lee quickly escaped onto the opposite car (a shame, he thought), and lost for ideas, Zuko rejoined the others inside the gondola.

With a start, the car began to move again, and everyone peered down at the boiling rock to see what was going on.

"Who's that?" Sokka gaped, when he saw the girl who had unblocked the gears.

When she turned her head to give them a good view of her face, Zuko thought he was dreaming.

"It's Mai…"

xxxxx

Zuko did not sleep easily that night. After everything he did, all the wrong he'd done, to her and to everyone…she still saved him.

He would ask why later. He would get an answer from her eventually. Because his thoughts were on one thing and one thing only that night.

Mai was now facing judgment from the Fire Nation, worse yet, from his sister. She was probably sitting in a prison cell, if Azula hadn't already had her…

No. He wouldn't even think it. She was alive! And after everything…she still cared for him.

And he was going to get her out.

xxxxx

A/N: When I noticed that Zuko and Mai were standing in different positions in the beginning of the scene where the guards came than they were at the end of the last scene, I deduced that more had been exchanged between them then what we had heard.


End file.
